Condensation trap



Dc. 7 192e. 1,609,278

J. M. BARRETT coNDENsATIoN TRAP Filed Deo. 1! 1921 2 sheets-sheet 1' y Y ffffozaN/g :Pasada nec. 7,1926.

'r rr'ica "Josnrn M. BARRETT, .or Fos'ronrmonro, Assrefnroltl To Trappers-c REGULATOR MAN- UrAcTURINe coMPANY, 0F nosTonIA, oHIo, A conronnrron or oHIo.

ooNDENsATIoN TRAP.

' Application sied December 1, 1921. serial No. 519,171. i

This invention relates to steam traps, and

"is particularly concerned with the provision of simple and effective means fordraining condensation from steam lines.

The usual practice for removing condensation from steam lines, especially in nonreturn systems,has been to employ a steam trap which dischargescondensation into 'a hot well, and then to utilize an injector, or

pump, for return nig such water to 'the boiler. Much diiicul y has been experienced in lobtaining a trap which operates satisfactorily at various ranges in pressure, without entailing a loss of steam either during, or immediately after the period of discharge. In the intermittent fand continuous types of traps, particularly the bucketland ioat type respectively, sediment, or boiler scale,

frequently'lodges between the valve and seat, thus scoring the `seats and cutting grooves therein so that they become-what is co'mfmonly termed wire-drawn.

Another type of intermittent trap, called the thermostatic,` has been employed for removing condensation, .but it lhas A been found thatv the cost of maintenance for this 'type of trap -is usually-high, and that the operation is not entirely satisfactory. Some of the causes ofthe unsatisfactoryoperation are, that the valves'actuated by lmechanical connection with the thermostatic element do f not seatproperly, and that the thermostatic elements are not suliciently sensitive to close the valve without permitting steam to escape. One of the objects of my invention therefore, is the provision of a trapnwhich secures i the beneficial results of an intermittently operating trap in that the rapidity and volume of the discharge is employed for ejecting Isediment and particles of scale brought`down from the'receiver; and which possesses positivenessin operation, s uch asis incident to the thermostatic, type, without employing a thermostatic element adjacent the discharge.

port,fand without having a mechanical con# nection between the thermostatic element yand the operating valve.

Another Objectis the provision of a ther-v mostatically controlled steam trap wherein the discharge valve may be positioned at a point remote from the thermostatic element. In this way, my invention contemplates the construction of a trap which is well adapted for installation in existing systems, partictached to existing steam lines,

a pit and is inaccessiblefor the installation andV maintenance of theA usual non-return c.

steam traps. c Qther objects include the ,construction of a trap, which has few -moving parts, which is compact and adapted to be readily atan'd which. has a -high efficiency in operation.

f In accomplishing the 4 above objects, I provide a steam trap'which is dependent for its operation -upon the relativedierence in temperature between the condensation and steam inthe system to be'drained, which dierence is employed for varying i'luid pressure in a secondary chamber. This change 'of pressure in thesecondary 'chamber is thereafter utilized for actuating-a diaphragm, which in turn controlsA a discharge valve at a point either, adjacent to,- or remote vfrom, the condensations receiver.

- The means for accomplishing' the above `objects will be more fully setforth in the following description whichrelates to the' .drawings', and the essential characteristics of my invention will he summarized in the' claims.`

In the drawings, Figgl is a side elevation of a receiver having a steam trap embodying Y my invention secured thereto; Fig, 2 ,islan end elevation of such trap and receiver; Fig. 3 is a vertical vsection partly in elevation taken longitudinally` through what is termed a generator and Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken through the preferred form ofdis'- 'charge'valve Designating the parts shown in the draW- f ings by the use ofl reference characters, 10 represents a receiver wh1ch` rece1ves c0n densation from risers 1l, and which is provided Witha discharge conduit 12, leading either to a hot well or to a waste water drain. My steam trap comprises what is termed a generatori which is positioned adjacent the normal Vlevel of water within the receiver,

and which is adapted to actu-atea valve by the'dif'erence in temperature .between the Water and steam. This, in effect, constitutes a thermostatic trap in that theoperation is dependent -upon the'temperature difference' of waterand steam; but the discharge, 'in

steadof being adjacent the generator, may

be positioned at a point remote therefrom and satisfactorily operated, as will be'hereinafter described,

While I. have illustratedjmy invention in; 'Connection with the receiverof a; heating sys`A tem, it is of course understodd'.that itis ap-.

' permitting a free discharge," andv for" Are'- plicable for use in draining thecndensation l I from high pressure lineseither1collectivelyj from a common 'receiver orindividuallyfrom; `.The interior of he generator, andthe separators or drain pocketsf".

Extending laterally from' .the receiver 1(9), v'l provide conduits' i3-andV 14C which arev con- Anected above and below, respectively, the

normal level of vwater! vWithin thereceiver. These conduits7 then, Vare positioned in planes -usually employed forwattaching a gauge glass; but for best results, it is advisable to 35 position the" conduit 14 near Athe bottom of the receiver.` .The outer ends of the conduits 13 and 14 are connected through sections 16,

f i 18, 17 and 19 respectively` and are so ar ranged that the normal level of waterwith- .4 9 in the receiver 10 is'on Aahorizontal plane with-some portion ofthe conduit 18. The conduit 17 may be connected'directly tothe conduit 14, but I prefer to provide a water leg by utilizing the extension piece 19, for

95 the purpose of cooling the water'within the line 18. and 'maintaining it-v at a lower temj perature thanV the water ata similar level within the receiver. This is an important factor forsecuringsatisfactory operation bef l cause 'of thevfact that the generator is `dependent for. its .use upon the diierence in temperature between the water and steam within the .tube 18. v' The generator 1 5 shown"'(the speci-lic conu struction of which will be claimed in a copending applicationfof mine) lcomprises a substantially cylindrical member20 having the ends thereof closed, and secured at 21 and 22 to the tube 18. The interior of this 10' generatoris adapted to beilled with`water,

`or any other liquid which vaporizes atcomparatively loW temperature,l sothat the pressure within such generator changes very readilyVv with the changes in temperature and 5 heat content .of the fluid within-'the tube 18. A seriesjof-annular radiating vanes 23 may project laterally from the generator and may .be employed fo'rconducting heat from .the member 20'. In thisway, changes in tem- 50 perature withinthetube 18, caused -by the 'rise and fall ofwater 'within the receiver, are

quickly. employed for changing `the tempera- -ture,and consequently the 'pressure ofthe liquidZ -within 'the generator 15.

'-55. Extending .from 'the' lower end. of the l`generator I provide a conduit 25 -which communicates with a chamber on one side of' a diaphragm 26, in a discharge valve indicated generally at 27. The lower side o ofthefdiaphragm is adapted tube-engaged by a plate 28 which may be held thereagainst 'by a spring 29, and which maybe arranged to carry' a valve '30.A This valve 65 30ispositioned across the discharge conduit l2 and. is adapted-to engage a. seat `.m`ay be adjusted so that the valve 27 may imamsL spending quickly to variations in pressure YU within the generator.

interior` of the conduit 25 is illed with` i fw-ater, and then the generator is sealed as bythe` threaded plug 32. Normally then, the 'force *.of'the spring 29 is `greater than the fluid vpressurev within the generator, so

that the valve 30 .is held 'away from the Seat 31, so that condensation Hows by gravity to the 4receiver-and is allowed to flow 80 through the discharge. valve 27.y As soon .as steam enters the receiver, and' occupies the tube 18l however, then the heat in such steam evaporates the liquid in the generator.v

and -thereby creates aiiuid pressure whichacts against the diaphragm 26 and over-l comes the force of the spring 29 thereby forcing the valve 30 against thev seat 31. Thev valve remains in closed positionuntil water thereafter accumulates in the receiver and rises-within the conduit 18 thereby dis-l placing the steam therein. i

Since byreason of the extension member 19, vthe water within, the conduit 18 is cooler than the steam, then-it follows that the. temperature, and hencethe pressure, of the Huid within the generator is lowered. This reduction `in pressure .continues until it reaches apoint where the'force yexerted on one side of the diaphragm is less than the force exerted -by the Vspring 29,` *whereupon the diaphragm is caused to move upwardly and the valve 30' is opened'. -Then as the water recedes withinthe receiver, steam 'is again brought 'into contact with the gen-v erator andthe pressure therein.i'sincreased, whereupon the valve isagain closed.

The relation between the strength of the spring 29 and the position of the ,tube 18 be actuated by 'a variation in pressure :of only a few ounceswithin the generator, and so that the valveanayallow the escapeof condensation without breaking the Water seal and permitting steam to escape; One of the characteris-ticsv of this trap is thatthe valve may be positioned at'a con-1 siderable distancefrom the'gene'ratorl This.` isoften advantageous lin cases'whereinthe receiver isv located 'inv a pit, andutraps. are rendered inaccessible. for maintenance .ingly gauge lglasses may 'be dispensedwith and the.,l exact status of the condensation in thereceiver, at a point remote' therefro1n, maybe obtained. ..130

megeve Fromv the foregoing description, it will'be I seenv that my invention provides a` steamt'rap to my invention is, that the 'condensation is. positively removed without an ensuing loss in steam, and thatthe condensation'- is dis-' lcharged intermittently, thus insuring a comest points in the line, and consequently are. 'subjected to an accumulation of. sediment and scale.V

whichv has few moving parts,y which'is positive in operation, and which may be readily attachedy to existing lines without material changes in piping arrangement. One of the advantages of a trap constructed'according plete cleansing action tothe discharge valve. Further, the valve' itself may be construct/ed with la large opening which is` highly important in this work, especially in view of the fact that receivers are placed in the low- Ha'ving thus described my invention what I. The combination of a receiver adapted to contain water and steam, a conduit providing in part a water leg and communicating with the receiver atrpoints above and below the .normal water level thereof, means associatedV with the conduit -responsive to v change vin heat content-'of the .Huid in the conduit, a discharge valvefor the receiver,V

and means connected to said first named means for actuating said valve. j 2. A device for regulating the flow of con- 'densatefrom a steam trap comprising in a5 1- -I not wholly above the level ofthe bottom combination adischarge valve for -the trap, a water leg disposed without the trap Aand level.

of thevalve.` 5 Y c. 4 In testimony whereof, I hereunto aiix my receiver, conduits-,extending laterally therefrom at points above and below a normalv water level within the receiver, a drop vleg' 3. A steam trap having in` combination aA connected with the lower conduit, a generator disposed intermediate said ldrop leg and 4upper conduit, said generator comprising a hollow member surrounding the conduit and formingl an independentA pressure chamber,`

aldiscgharge valve for said receiver having va 1 pressureresponsive elementa spring tendthe generator with a diaphragm' chamber of ing to open the'v'alve and a tube connecting the valve and a diaphragm acting on the whereby variations in temperature within the generator will effect a variation in the pressure within the tube yand thereby cause the diaphragm and spring to vary the amount of opening of the valve.

4. In a device-of the character described, the combination of a receiver, a conduit in the form. of a loop depending -below the lower level of the receiver chamber and connected to the receiverat points above and be-A i .pressure responsive element. .of the -valve lowthe' normal water level of the receiver, I

pressure generator means associated .with

thelconduit intersecting the planeof the norlmal water level of the receiver, adischa'rfge valvefor said receiver having a spring tend,

named element. with the pressure generator means, so that changes in the heat content of the fluid in the `first named conduit eiect 'changes in the pressure exertedf'on the pres-V sure responsive element to vary the status y signature.

' JosErH M. BARRETT.

fing to lieep 'theA valve open and a pressure. l

responslve element adaptedl to close'. the valve, a. pressure conduit connecting the lastsof 

